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Bill Self defends CU series

KU coach: ‘We have a great relationship with Colorado’

Some Missouri fans, radio talk show callers and Internet message board posters were grumbling last week when it was revealed that Kansas University and Colorado would begin a home-and-home men’s basketball series next season.

KU coach Bill Self, who was on vacation when the furor hit, was asked by the Journal-World about playing former Big 12 member Colorado of the Pac-12 while having no plans to schedule former Big 12 member MU of the SEC.

“We have a great relationship with Colorado, plus we have 4,000 to 5,000 fans in Western Kansas. That’s an opportunity to see us play whenever we play in Boulder,” Self said of fans who likely will find tickets to the game during the 2013-14 season at Coors Events Center. This year’s game is in Allen Fieldhouse.

“It’s a great deal for us and our fans. We are playing a KU grad (CU coach Tad Boyle), who has done a remarkable job there in a short amount of time,” Self added.

As far as the nitty-gritty of the issue ...

“No one ever held Colorado responsible for them leaving the league. They did something they felt they had to do,” Self said. “There were so many rumors they could be left out in the cold, too. Everybody respected that without question. There are no hard feelings there. With the climate, the landscape at that particular time (summer, 2010), with all the talk about Texas, Oklahoma, A&M;, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, all those schools going to the Pac-10 back then ... all the talk before that about Missouri and Nebraska going to the Big Ten ... Colorado was just making sure they had a conference affiliation. No hard feelings about that.”

Merv to New Mexico: Former KU small forward Merv Lindsay on Thursday orally committed to the University of New Mexico at the conclusion of his recruiting trip to the Albuquerque, N.M., school. Lindsay, 6-7, 195 pounds from Moreno Valley, Calif., will practice but not play in games next season and be eligible as a sophomore during the 2013-14 campaign.

He averaged 2.2 minutes a game in 12 games this past season, scoring 11 points.

“I felt really good there, very comfortable,” Lindsay said in a phone interview. “I liked everything about the place — the coaches, players. I didn’t have any complaints, none at all. It’s a family atmosphere. I’m going to use the year off to work on everything that is wrong with my game, get in the weight room and improve so I’ll be ready to contribute to the team the following season.”

Merv and his parents met with UNM coach Steve Alford at 9 a.m. Wednesday, quickly gobbling up the scholarship offer.

“He said, ‘Welcome to the family,’” Lindsay said.

Of his one season at KU, Merv said: “No regrets at all. I respect everything about Kansas. I love the school, the coaches, players and fans. I want to thank coach Self, his staff and my teammates for a great year, working with me in a family atmosphere. I’m also looking forward to playing at New Mexico. Coach is building a great program there.”

Juneau to Tulsa: Former KU player/assistant coach Danny Manning and his high school coach, Ted Juneau, have been reunited at Tulsa University. The J-W has learned that Juneau will soon be introduced as a liaison for men’s and women’s basketball players in the academic services area at TU. A Tulsa athletic department official said former Lawrence High coach Juneau currently is working in a volunteer capacity at Tulsa. No official appointment has yet been made or announced. Juneau also has coached at Topeka High and Haskell and worked as Haskell athletic director. Manning was named Tulsa basketball coach on March 29. His staff includes former KU players Steve Woodberry and Brett Ballard and former KU manager Justin Bauman.

Tickets on sale: KU basketball season tickets are now on sale for the 2012-13 season. The deadline to order and make a minimum pledge of $100 to the Williams Fund is July 20. Seat locations will be allocated at the Select-A-Seat event, which begins August 13. Season-ticket prices will remain the same for 2012-13, and all ticket packages include 20 home games – all 19 games in Allen Fieldhouse and one game in Sprint Center in Kansas City. Information is available at kuathletics.com or 800-34-HAWKS.

This, that: Jeff Goodman of CBSsports.com reports that Thomas Robinson measured 6-83⁄4 with shoes with a 7-3 wingspan and 5 percent body fat at the draft combine. Official measurements are released today. ... Class of 2015 players Austin Grandstaff and Elijah Thomas stopped by KU’s campus this week on unofficial visits, Rivals.com reported. “Great visit at Kansas deffinitley one of my favorites so far #rockchalk,” Tweeted Grandstaff, a 6-4 combo guard from Rockwall (Texas) High. Thomas is a 6-8 forward from the same school. Grandstaff is son of Team Texas AAU coach Wes Grandstaff. They also were to visit Oklahoma and Missouri this week. ... KU freshman-to-be Ben McLemore reports that he weighs 197 pounds, up 12 to 15 pounds from the start of last season. He’s a 6-5 guard/forward from St. Louis.

Agree with Boulder Hawk on both scores. I live in CO and need my KU B-ball fix in Boulder even if it is only every other year. So far as Wester KS, learn to love it when you eat your bread, pasta, steak etc. and heat your home with cheap Nat Gas. Have to add that I loved Self's positive response about CO leaving the Big 12 and let us draw our own conclusions about how he feels about MU. No way he wants to give MU a sellout game.

I wouldnt go that far about a Border War Matchup. It would be in KU's best interest if it were a Home/Lawrence and Away/Sprint arrangement just like CU's deal at Home/Lawrence and Away/Coors center. I like that it basically sets the price for continuing the series and until Mizwho makes that kind of offer, they can just shut up and really should be concentrating on their new life in the SEC while we focus on the new challenges WVU and TCU pose and enjoying the $19M payout we just got from the Big 12 that was boosted with their exit fee money.

Implicit from Bill Self. Missouri led the charge nearly breaking apart the conference two years ago instead of working together to get rid of Beebe. Missouri--ironically in the end the Big 12's weakest link for reasons only caused by themselves---led the whining committee blaming Texas for everything instead of looking for an obvious solution---fire Beebe and rewrite contracts, making the big 12 every bit as strong as the other two power conferences. Without Missouri getting everyone nervous, Nebraska doesn't leave. Missouri also left when it couldn't have been a more important time to stand strong as a conference. Translation is that Colorado got caught up in what Missouri started---and was only looking to stay in a conference period---so Kansas will gladly play Colorado. Self without saying it explains using Colorado, why once again, Kansas will not be affiliated with Missouri for quite sometime on an athletic field. The evilness of what Missouri did to the big 12 conference over the last few years cannot be understated. Their attempt to blame Texas for everything shows an institution not only leaving, but leaving with the hopes of their old conference shattering. That champions bowl must really burn them up. Another awful day to be a Tiger.

It would serve Robinson well to study film of Ben Wallace, Corliss Williamsson, and Larry Johnson--three tweeners who found ways to be effective. If he is going to continue playing PF, Wallace (although less skilled offensively) would be a great role model. If circumstances dictate that Robinson switch positions, Corliss Williamson and Larry Johnson were two dominant (and undersized) college PFs who, in the NBA, spent time at SF and SG respectively.

IMO, I think Robinson falls somewhere in between Wallace and LJ. He's a better offensive player than Wallace, but not nearly the defensive presence (for now) and he may be a better defensive player than Grandmama, but not nearly as adept at putting "the rock in the hole" (for now). Oddly, Robinson may be the least explosive, of the three (Wallace, LJ, and Robinson). He's quicker, faster, and more agile, but LJ and Wallace could really take off!

I have always doubted if you were a KU fan, you sound more like a MU antler than a Jayhawk. And what is up with a Pac 12 logo ? By the way, none of the schools you listed are going to or are getting more money from leaving. That is nothing but MU wishful thinking.

MUFan is too dumb to pose as a believable KU fan. Here's a bit of advice: being too over the top as a troll will get you recognized instantly; subtlety is key. But I guess asking an MU fan to be subtle is kind of difficult, because most MU fans probably don't know what the word means.

Just for the record; Texas refuses to play A&M much like Kansas refuses to play Mizzery and I'm sure you understand why Nebraska will not play Texas. No, I'm not a Texas fan, true blue Jayhawk, simply wanted to clarify.

I read this moronic rant the first time and wanted to respond to all the inaccuracies and false statements. However, the more I read, the more I realized it's clearly a troll. Not a very smart one, either.

Two of the team moves made sense and two didn't. It is as simple as that. While I hate that NU helped trigger all of this, and was selfish, it is hard to blame them for beating Missery to the punch and going to the rich and stable Big 10. KU would be crazy not to go there as well, if the opportunity ever presented itself. Geographically it also made sense. Besides, NU didn't feel they had the support of their North division brethren in getting the Big 12 football championship alternated between KC and Dallas. In fact, they didn't. The other North schools were happy to have basketball in KC most years which NU didn't care about. While I hate them for leaving at least the move made sense.

CU had little choice. It looked like a sure thing the Big 12 would be history, and if they didn't go to the PAC 12 they would have likely ended up in the Mountan West had the Big 12 shut down. Geographically and culturally it made sense as well.

Then you have aTm and Missery. They made crybaby moves because Mommy (the Big 12) didn't love them as much as Texas. Those moves made zero geographic or cultural sense. They moved simply to punish the Big 12 power brokers over the lack of attention they were being given. I say screw them. I would be willing to play NU in hoops, as well, but we don't need to play crybaby schools.

Mizzou tried to screw the Big12 with the timing of their defection For some reason idiots have a hard time remembering that. Bad enough on its own they had been stirring the pot for years and have basically done nothing to help the league. They are just sore losers who decided to pout, quit, and then pout again after quitting.

I have a very good view of Coach Self and the visiting coach as Self greets them before each game in Allen Field House. Self is friendly to all the coaches. He smiles, welcomes them to KU and usually makes small talk for just a few seconds. The only time this does NOT happen is when MU comes to town. Self would shake Mike Andersen's hand, but he wouldn't smile or talk to him. In fact, he doesn't even stop walking when he shakes Andersen's hand. It's kinda funny to watch.

I would add Scott Drew to the "not so friendly" welcome department. In fact, I would bet he likes Mike Anderson more than Scott Drew. But since it's Frank Haith at MU, at least until the full story at Miami comes out, the comparison should probably be with Frank Haith.

I would prefer Coach Self simply come out and say that KU has no respect for the University of Missouri, we are glad they are gone and that no one in the Kansas Athletic Department cares what is said by Missouri fans on the internet and on talk shows. That response would warrant an enthusiastic 60s-style fist in the air with a boisterous "right on."

When I was in junior high or high school in Topeka in the early 70s, we had a phys ed instructor (he may have been a student teacher) named Ted Juneau. I wonder if it is the same guy. He would have to be at least in his mid sixties.

There is a tendency to overlook Colorado's leaving the Big 12. If you remember, UT was trying to pull a power move and insist that Baylor move to the Pac-12 instead of Colorado. Given the state of affairs at the time, I'm not sure Colorado had much choice when they were offered an opportunity to join the Pac-12.

If you look at alumni geographic distribution, you will see that outside of Kansas and KC Metro, the Denver area has the second largest concentration of KU alums behind, guess who is #1?

Houston doesn't have a huge alumni base compared to other major cities in the central third of the country. During my time at KU, I only met 3 other people from Houston that I remember. Most people I met not from Kansas or KC were from St. Louis, Chicago, Denver, or Dallas. I would imagine there's a nice little alumni base in Boston too because I met quite a few people from there too.

From the "slightly related to this subject" and/or "complete trivial news" wire: Former CU coach Ricardo Patton has just signed on as a high school head coach at Central High in Memphis, How the mighty have fallen!

I once heard a story that Patton was given a nice bonus, when they made the NCAA tourney, and that he was instructed by the AD to divide it up between himself and his staff as he saw fit. The jerk kept it all for himself.

If, in fact, that story is true I'm glad to see he has been knocked down a few rungs and is now a HS coach.

I don't think anyone needs to spend much time at KU explaining the university's decisions to schools or fans from another conference.

On the Methzzou front, Pinkel was on the radio ranting about the positive impact being in the SEC has had on recruiting. Don't know if you have ever heard Pinkel do a phone/radio interview....but he sounds like a wedding singer who puts his lips on the mic when he talks.

I don't know if I'd go that far. Have you been to Boulder? The town and setting are great but the people there all project an 'I'm cooler than you' attitude. Perhaps in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s when the population of Colorado was about the same as Kansas', there was a cultural fit between CU and rest of Big 8. That is no longer the case.

Maybe if you spent a little less time worrying about who's cooler and a little more time talking to them, you would see that they ARE very cool people, but they don't spend an ounce of time belittling others. Just because they have more interest in being outdoors and adventuring than they do sitting on @ss in front of the TV doesn't mean they are "projecting" coolness, it means they simply have more diverse interests.

I won't say that for the frats and sororities on the CU campus. They are the worst kind of arrogant/ignorant kids I've ever been around. But that's an isolated group, and doesn't represent the town, at all.

The point I was trying to make is that Colorado and Boulder in particular has changed culturally the last 30 years. In 1970, Colorado and Kansas has about the same population. Today, has almost two times the population as Kansas. A lot of the new people are from the West Coast which has resulted in a diverging of the culture from the old Big 8 schools in Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa. That is why the move to the Pac-12 made more sense.

We'll play MU .. It's just a matter of time. The ink's just getting dry on the divorce.

The reality is that MU started the whole conference realignment garbage by openly talking about the Big 10. They got suckered by both the Big 10 and Nebraska. But MU did exactly what Colorado did .. protected itself when it appeared things were going downhill for the Big 12. The difference is that MU started it.

Regardless of all of that .. it is going to happen. It may take Jimmy Carter to broker the deal, or some other elder statesman. But it will happen.

And who won't want to watch that?

In sports, hate is good. Hate is emotion. Hate is passion. There is a lot of that. But lack of respect takes it to a completely higher level. We don't respect MU. MU is all about fantasy, fiction, and a warped belief that they actually have accomplished something. Reality is something different. Reality is suffering the worst opening round defeat in the history of the NCAA tournament -- in their greatest basketball season ever. Reality is Quinn Snyder. Reality is watching the Final Four .. every year. Reality is Chase Daniel with his finger up his nose on the sideline. Reality is Stipo shooting himself in the foot. Reality is Tyus Edney. Reality is the 5th down. Reality is the flea-kicker. Reality is storming the field a bit prematurely. Reality is Doug Smith being your greatest player ever. Reality is reality .. unless you are an MU fan. But they drive right down "Champions Drive" to the Paige Sports arena just nodding their heads, saying "damn right, we are champions" .. believing their own fiction.

KU, better than anyone, brings that group back to reality. If only for a moment. It provides them a glimpse of what they wish they were, but what they never will be.

They hate us. But deep down, they respect us. We don't really hate them. We feel sorry for them. We do despise them. But we pity them more than anything. We feel that at each opportunity, we should put them out of their misery. That is the opportunity lost by not playing them. See, because on the rare occasion when we do lose, it does have benefit. It increases their hope, it raises their expectations .. only to have provide for an even greater disappointment. This past basketball season was a wonderful example. I said after our defeat at MU that there was a silver lining. We raised their hopes higher, so the fall would be much more dramatic and painful. It was MU's destiny.

The more KU rants against MU, the more we reinforce this image that MU fans constantly state of being spurned jealous lovers bitter over the divorce. We are the loyal spouse whose partner left us for a wealthy, sexier lover. Why continue to reinforce this? It is a divorce. Let's move on.

Who is we? Why do you keep posting these "Let's move on" posts?First you post that one could hear from MU fans that KU kisses DeLoss Dodds hind end "We really have no other choice and it appears to have worked out", maybe kissing behind works for you.

Now these other posts about reinforcing an image that MU fans have. Do you really care about MU?

You analogy is bogus. The relationship of KU and MU never resembled anything on the spouse level. That analogy implies that at some point in time love was involved and with KU/MU that has never been the case. Being as their are also other "spouses in the conference" it a polygamous relationship at best. As for ranting against MU , I think since the ink on their SEC union is not even dry ranting will naturally occur for quite some time and as far as I am concerned I will rant against them as long as I damn well please. Even if it hurts my "cooler than thou" attitude.

There is *one* other difference between MU's and CU's departures from the Big 12.

Colorado was the first to leave, and did so when the future of the Big 12 was very much in doubt.

Missouri was the last to leave, and did so when the Big 12 looked as stable as it had for two years. They decided that it was time to court the SEC *after* things had calmed down, getting them started right back up. In classic Missouri fashion, they suddenly felt like they weren't getting enough attention by working (supposedly) to keep the Big 12 intact, so once it looked like everything was going to blow over with A&M getting replaced by TCU, Missouri thought to itself, "Hey, what about our time in the sun!?!? After all, we are champions! Conferences should want to fight over having our membership."

Heck, they may have even thought that they would court the SEC and the Big 12 would come pleading with the Tigers to stay because of how valuable they were. They may have planned on staying the entire time, only to have their hand forced when the Big 12 gave the diplomatic equivalent of "go f*** yourselves". Such are the depths of Missouri Tiger delusion.

As far as rob4lb's post about our comments on MU giving credence to the Tigers' narrative that KU is acting like a spurned lover... I suppose KU fans' actions are different than the clamoring of MU fans who seem to be basically saying "What? Why is KU playing CU and not US?!? Not fair!!!!!" Sounds fairly "spurned" to me. The difference is that KU doesn't love MU. And MU, in spite of what it wants to believe, loves the benefits it gets from playing KU, even if it doesn't love KU itself.

When things 'calmed down'? Seemed to me it was right after OU and David Boren openly courted the Pac 12- again. I think that's what 'started things up'. The other catch was that UT was not willing to sign the 13 year grant of rights, instead of a 6 year grant.

Freakin hilarious. Nobody respects a school that goes winless in conference. Nobody respects a school that competes in only one sport. We own you in everything but basketball which is why MU has won 8 out 10 Border Showdowns. Face it you are not going to play us because you know we can beat you. I mean really does anybody care about KU and CU playing basketball? NO

So if no one respects a school that competes in *one* sport, how do they feel about a school that competes in no sports, but has a fanbase that talks trash as if their athletic department is on par with Stanford or Texas or UCLA?

Kansas may be known as a "one trick pony", so to speak, but they are one of the most dominant one trick ponies in the history of college basketball.

Misery, on the other hand, is known as a "no trick pony".

By the way, football also-ran Kansas and football powerhouse Missouri have a record against each other that is nearly .500, and the "one trick pony" has the only BCS bowl between the two of them. Just some things to keep in mind.

How stupid would KU look if we agreed to play Missouri next year? Playing Colorado instead makes more sense as a bone for Western Kansas fans (who contribute to KU) and while Mark Randall came to us from the Denver area, I can't think of a player we've recruited from Columbia.

I do not think it looks good for KU to all of a sudden start playing recent Defectors, when we made such a "big deal", about not playing MU ever again.

It does seem like maybe the KU Administrators & Coaches are talking out of the "side of their mouths". It does put "egg on our faces".

As in Politics, One can SPIN IT, anyway to One's benefit, & in this case the decision to play CU immediately makes a lot of sense.

To add more SPIN, I agree with most of the comments that MU is the reason that the Big 12 started to fall apart in 2010 with their Governor & AD stating they were a lock to being invited to join the Big 10.

MU's excuse for leaving was, of course, to blame UT. I believe MU started looking for "greener pastures", when KU got picked over them for a BCS Bowl after the 2007 Football season.

MU after being jilted by the Big 10, instead of being loyal to the Big 12, despite their PLEDGING TO BE LOYAL, felt like they had to SAVE FACE by finding a new lover to court & accept them--thus the SEC .

I know a lot of the other Big 12 Schools, Administrative Personnel, Coaches, ADs, etc. were very upset with MU's President while serving as Head of the Big 12 Board of Directors, was all the time looking to "bail out" during the past year or so. I would say that was somewhat deceptive on his part.

I agree & do believe that eventually KU will play MU again, but it will never be the same. Intense Rivalrys, very seldom exist unless teams are in the same conference. A good example is that the UT/Arkansas rivalry has not been the same since Arkansas left the SWC for the SEC.

Having a "cooling off" period is probably a good thing.

I don't think WVU & Pitt rivalry will be the same from now on, since they are both in.different conferences.

Look at MU & Illinois, Border States like we are, but other than playing for so called "bragging rights", they are not intense rivals.

Iowa & Iowa State, CU & Colorado State even being from the same States are not Intense rivals, because they are not in the same Conferences.

Yes, there are exceptions, like UK & Louisville, but they never were in the same conference..

This has not been stated, but I just wonder if Bill Self being the competitor he is, is still miffed, that MU AD Mike Alden selected Quinn Snyder over him as the MU Coach a few years ago?????

Of course, a few years later it worked out a lot better for Coach Self, by KU selecting him.

So in conclusion, things happen for a reason, & usually everyone is better off than before, so now it appears that those who remained loyal to the Big 12, are far better off than those who left. .

"This has not been stated, but I just wonder if Bill Self being the competitor he is, is still miffed, that MU AD Mike Alden selected Quinn Snyder over him as the MU Coach a few years ago?????"-----------------------------------------------------I hope you aren't being serious here. Self would never have applied at MU if the position at KU had been open. If he thinks about it at all, I'm sure he says "Thank God I didn't get that job!" I'm sure he has neither regret nor "miff", just relief--and he may chuckle a little to think he ever considered it in the first place.

gotta include the bit about how Former and Ex-Jayhawks are actually Jayhawks For Life and therefore should not be called Former or Ex, even though they aren't currently on the Jayhawk roster and there really is no other concise alternative.

Nice. I don't hear much about Lew anymore, but you could add "Anything Keagan posts". I feel bad for the guy.

Do you really think Jaybate deserves two entries?

You also have the kool-aid drinkers who think KU can go no wrong , that Charlie Weis is going to win a national championship, and dinigrate anyone who may question decisions made by anyone in the athletic department.

I do find the constant ranting against MU to be very tiresome. They made their decision. So, it's time to move on.

They are probably playing CU as a favor to Boyle since he's a former KU guy...coaches do that all the time. People don't hate CU as much for leaving as the other schools because I think they had been looking to leave for years. It all started with Mizzou thinking the Big Ten was going to invite them to prom, and they didn't. Ha! Not really sure why the SEC took them other than they needed a 14th team after adding A&M.

As far as I'm concerned, the only thing I'll miss about athletic competition with Mizzou is HEM's hilarious rants. I can live with that.

KU, MU and NU had been soul mates for more than a century. They have been tied together academically, culturally and geographically as much as any universities in the country. It had been so to the same or even greater degree as any of the Big 10, Pac, or SEC rivalries, similar to that of UT and A&M, and much more so than even KU and K-State. None should have acted independently at the prospective expense of any of the others. In my view they have both made their new beds on their own, and now must sleep in them. I'm very pleased that the Big 12 appears to have weathered the storm, and now appears to be at the cusp of establishing a new paradigm for college athletics. But the disloyalty of MU and NU should never be forgotten.

Certainly, the magnitude of the underhanded efforts of MU, given that they did so twice under greatly differing circumstances, substantially exceed those of NU. But as far as I’m concerned, further voluntary athletic competition with either of them should be off the table. For NU, that should remain so for a good long time. For MU, it should be forever. The aspects of the prior rivalry with MU that made it fun no longer exist. In my view, neither does Mizzou.

Nebraska wouldn't have left if it wasn't for Mizzou getting this whole thing going. Texas was never the problem, Missouri just wanted everybody to believe that because they had less power in football, less of a voice, less money, than Texas. The problem was Beebe and a need for new contracts. A conference is only as strong as it's weakest link.

The weakest link ended up being Missouri. Nebraska fell prey to the same concerns Colorado did, a pyschology of nervousness and threats started by Missouri. Instead of looking for a better leader, Missouri stirred up the nervousness in the Big 12. How ironic that the SEC has them now!

Colorado had 24 wins last year. They won the Pac 12 Post Season Tournament and made it to the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament. So, we shouldn't play USC or UCLA either? There are other preconference games against "not so good" programs, but Colorado isn't one of them.

I think it's great that we play in an area where we have so many alumni. This game is a big deal to KU fans, not just in Western Kansas, but throughout Colorado. They flock to this game and make more noise than the Colorado fans. It could almost be called "Allen Field House - West"! It was probably an easy decision for Self ... he gave a perfectly reasonable answer.

1] Racial discrimination is alive and it thrives in Boone County.2] Missouri will convince the SEC that Meth should be the drug of choice over pot.3] The State of Missouri tried to secede from the Union but didn't know which way was South.4] If you've ever been to Columbia, there's a sofa on every front porch...it's like driving through Alabama.5] Missouri believes they are a football powerhouse....after the first season they'll realize they are a football outhouse!!6] Have failed to realize that every SEC team on their schedule has already penciled in a "W" for themselves for the week they play MU!!7] Thought that the nickname Tigers was an automatic requirement of admission.8] Missouri got real tired of playing Bill Self.9] .....aaahhhh, I am bored...you guys finish the rest

Another trick that went under the radar the Missouri AD was trying to pull. He was trying to gain sympathy for MU that KU didn't want to play them. Gee I wonder why, it's not like MU almost singlehandedly blew up the big 12.

Anyway Alden ferociously tried to keep the commentary going. What he didn't say was the hope he had that MU in basketball would have---if KU played MU--had the overall #1 SOS in the country from now on. Alden was hoping for UK twice a year via the SEC and KU at least once for a total of 3 ultra matchups a year, bare minimum for the meth squad. The funny thing is, not only does he not get KU---but on top of that thanks to the revisions by the SEC scheduling committee---the meth squad only gets UK once. Nice job Alden!

Perhaps ESPN should do some research---not only what actually happened in the big 12---but also why they might consider propping up a new SEC team..

ESPN is tied strongly to the SEC with a major contract as of three years ago.

Anything ESPN can do to get the SEC strength of schedule up the better.

Mizzou most certainly should not be rewarded for their actions over the last three years. If ESPN would tell the real story that would help. From a basketball perspective Missouri went from playing one ultra team twice a year in the big 12 (4 times a year when Texas was top 5) to playing an ultra team only once a year in the SEC.

Their loss for nearly shattering the big 12 and trying to turn the entire big 12 against Texas instead of Beebe.

Embedded here is the fact MU acts like they need us more than we need them. If they were smart they would at least act like they didn't care. Time will heal. We'll play again. Not now. Too raw. Don't try to compare the Colorado situation to Missouri. They are not comparable by any stretch if you understand the dynamics. Just wait, we'll meet up eventually in the NCAA. It will be real ugly, too, with lots of intense passion. Go away Missouri. You have made your SEC bed, now go lay in it.

I'm guessing that guy got his journalism degree from that hellhole in Columbia. Scott Drew missing those two conference games is a good thing for Baylor. I will openly admit that Baylor had the more talented team last season, but KU was far and away the better team. Brady Heslip? Are you kidding me, he went 1-5 for 3 point combined in the two regular season games with KU. KU is going to wipe the floor with Baylor next year during the regular season because they play defense unlike Baylor.

Two important things here. First, this is just a home-and-home, not a permanent series like Mizzou wanted, like what they have with Illinois. Second, I absolutely think this is a huge middle finger to Mizzou, scheduling a series with a different former conference foe. I think we should schedule a home-and-home with Nebraska and Texas A&M, too, just to complete the insult.

Robinson...weren't we saying he was nearly 6' 10"? Why is that so hard to get right and or why lie. Plus they should always measure with shoes off for accuracy...just like we did as kids at our physicals. Otherwise it's all crap and just say he's 910"...what's the difference...

Being a Colorado resident, I'm excited that I'll get to see my Jayhawks in Boulder. However, I have to admit it looks bad in the national media given our stance on playing Mizzou. We can say who cares, but that's why Coach Self has to defend the series and we have to defend/explain KU's stance to our non KU brethren.

On the same subject, I love the subtle middle finger Coach Self gave the slavers!

Hint---it was not Texas' fault as much as Mizzou fans want everyone to believe it was. Hint 2---they were our weakest link.

Why reward Mizzou for what they did?

Mizzou thought theyd have the #1 SOS in basketball.

Suddenly the only power team they'll play is UK---and all of the sudden the SEC stepped in and made sure it is only once a year for Mizzou. Mizzou just lost permanently off their schedule two games against Kansas. Two games against Texas. Two games against Baylor. All traded for one---and only one game---against Kentucky.

Of course ESPN isn't liking this.

Of course ESPN is having a hernia over Mizzou. ESPN has a major contract with the SEC and all of the sudden the only good team Mizzou will play is Kentucky in basketball.

The major media outlets need to write a real piece on what happened---Mizzou most certainly should not be rewarded by any Big 12 team. Kansas is part of a strong union now. Kansas plays Mizzou--who almost broke up the big 12--- and what does that say to the other 9 members?

Add NU for a game at The Sprint. Add a home and Houston game with Texas AM. Those two adds will help everyone know that KC is a Kansas city and help with recruiting in Houston. Nothing for the other team that left the Big12.

Thank you Cheat. When you reach my age anyone who tells you act or look younger is good thing. You keep coming back to kusports.com whenever you want and thank you for your continued support of Kansas athletics.

I am a lifelong Missourian who, at one time, decades ago, supported Mizzou athletics.I was never a huge Tiger hoops fan, but did get a kick out of Norm Stewart's theatrics; then was incensed when he was dumped for the likes of Q Snyder who wrecked whatever viability Stewart had worked so hard to establish. Along the way, I married a KU grad, a died in the wool Jayhawk supporter who gradually lured my support in the right direction, esp. Jayhawk Hoops. A very comfortable and exciting conversion for a retired MO resident who now grieves at the thought of my tax dollars trickling into the coffers of a state university which has suffered the ignominy of Paige Arena and subsequent turncoat defection from conference affiliations which had existed for a century.I've no doubt that the Jayhawk/Tiger rivalry will resurrect again someday. Hopefully, KU schedulers will just hold off for at least 20 years...when I will have blazed out in glory, cheering for Jayhawk Basketball. Perhaps I will purchase or design one of those Muck Fizzou t-shirts to wear on my trip to the crematorium. In the meanwhile, I will remain ever faithful to the decree that the lowly Tigers are never again to be invited to revisit The Phog.Rock Chalk!

~A college education is about a well rounded exposure to American values and CU is the nearest liberal school we can consistently beat like a stick.

~Winning at high elevation is the ultimate test in basketball.

~The states of Colorado and Kansas are thinking about merging into Kanado in order to create the perfect pinch point on energy and transportation infrastructure in the CONUS for the 21st Century in order to capitalize on the whole sale sell off and exportation of the subsurface mineral rights on the public lands to pay off the national debt to China. Playing a game each year builds trust.

The jaybate Outdoor Art Foundation has just issued a grant to a KU artist that has proposed to buy an old drive in movie theater near Columbia, Missouri and turn this theater in to an art work that shows 24/7 loops of footage of KU beating MU in basketball games down through the years.

the opposite of love isnt' hate it is indifference, I used to hate Mizzwho as our conference rival, now I could give a rat's arse or is it supposed to be 'couldn't give a rat's' not sure.

drop it, who cares, let them be.

could we charge a $5. SEC toll tax on any vehicle using the Ks. Turnpike with MO plates? Or burn their barns carry away the women and children plow salt into their fields, strike their names from the marble walls and trophy cases. steal all their final four banners.